This presentation will interrogate the moral standing of leaders not from any particular philosophical or political vantage point, but rather from that of the followers. Followers expect leaders to be competent (just as they expect professionals and others); but they also expect leaders to provide moral leadership. Followers frequently judge leaders by standards of morality that are considerably harsher than those by which they judge other people; they may also forgive leaders of sins that they would not forgive in others. As a result, leaders are often cast in black and white terms as either saints or devils. The presentation will argue that criteria used to judge leaders are rooted in fantasy and myth as well as early life experiences. It will conclude by linking the moral standing of leadership to the ethics of care and by the leaders’ perceived ability and willingness to care for their followers. This creates a fundamental dilemma – should the leader treat all followers equally or each according to his/her need?
Professor Gabriel is a world renowned expert in qualitative research. Professor of Organizational Studies in Bath, he has published numerous works in the leading organization journals. He is at present Senior Editor of Organization Studies. He is well known for his work into organizational storytelling and narratives, leadership, management learning and the culture and politics of contemporary consumption. He has used stories as a way of studying numerous social and organizational phenomena including leader-follower relations, group dynamics and fantasies, nostalgia, insults and apologies. He has also carried out extensive research on the psychoanalysis of organizations.

Like this:

With the general Elauction underway we can expect the minds and energies of our political leaders to be focused elsewhere for the next month or so. However, the world doesn’t stop when the posters go up. Neither, to be fair, does the government or administrative policy making, but it slows. In the context of BREXIT, this may be problematic

This election will, in large part, be fought on the government saying “the economy was in rag order, we fixed it, reelect us”. A key element of this will be “we have created <insert large but not implausible number> jobs since we took over”. Missing will be any discussion of external circumstances but hey, its an election.

Sallins, where I live, is a nice pleasant canalside village. Right in the center of it is a large derelict site, on which planning permission for a town center was given ye these many moons ago. More or less directly opposite it, down a lane, is the GAA. The latest plan is to rezone THAT for a town center. Why? To date the local councillors have been rather mute.

Here, read below an information leaflet sent round in advance of an open meeting in mid January. It is mindboggling.

A written petition against this foolishness is going into the councillors this weekend. At least one is running for national election so perhaps 1000 signatures, which is what they are in sight of, will sharpen the mind and soften the cough. I took the names and contact details out of the leaflet, but they are easily obtained if one needs.